Not So Nice
by iamzuul
Summary: Inuyasha is not the hard ball with a soft and gooey center that we're used to. [complete, single scene]


This is based on the idea that Kaede's prayer bead necklace does more than just allow Kagome to 'calm his spirit' with a single word. That, some how, it forces him to stay within a certain distance of Kagome, rather like those electric fences that shock you when you cross the line. ^-^ Previously they had a fight concerning... something. _-_'' I knew when I wrote it, but that was last year, and I've since forgotten. I still like it, though. Oooo, evil Inuyasha. ^-^! 

**Pairing**: None.   
**Rating**: PG-13, for implied nekkidness, blood, and violence. Rawr!   
**Comments**: This is based on the idea that Kaede's prayer bead necklace does more than just allow Kagome to 'calm his spirit' with a single word. That, some how, it forces him to stay within a certain distance of Kagome, rather like those electric fences that shock you when you cross the line. ^-^ Previously they had a fight concerning... something. _-_'' I knew when I wrote it, but that was last year, and I've since forgotten. I still like it, though. Oooo, evil Inuyasha. ^-^!   
**Summary**: Inuyasha is not the hard ball with a soft and gooey center that we're used to. Single scene.   
**Disclaimer**: I own a pug, a computer, and a truck (if you call it that). I can barely afford one book for one college class. If you sue me, you'll get dog toys, Isuzu owner manuals, a discarded review mirror, and lint from my pockets. Possibly Mountain Dew soda can tabs.   
**Title**: Not So Nice 

Did he really think he could lord over her like that? As if he was somehow in charge? She wasn't stupid by a long shot (her grades proved that), and neither was she a fool (how many times had _she_ pulled _his_ can out of the fire?). Yet he consistantly put her down and generally treated her like crap. Why shouldn't she have the right to throw it all back in his face? Every word she had said, she meant; if he couldn't take his own medicine, he shouldn't dish it out. 

And yet here she was, picking her way down to the river's edge to apologize to him. All the others had insisted she was too harsh this time, even Sango. 

_'Your words were truthful, but too full of hate,'_ the demon huntress had said. 

It was true that she didn't _hate_ Inuyasha. But he was so... so _annoying_. Kagome growled softly as she pulled a thorny creeper off her sock and pushed on through the underbrush. So what if he had been one of her sole protectors? He had said it himself - he was only helping her so as to get the Jewel. 

She snorted. As if she'd give it to him with _that_ attitude. 

But truthfully - what would they do once the Jewel was complete? Miroku, Sango, and Shippo didn't have the same obligation towards the Jewel she did. Sango had come from the village that had birthed the gem, but it wasn't _her_ responsibility. Shippo was with them only beause he had fixated on her somehow, and Miroku... Kagome wouldn't _even_ go into the reasons behind his staying. 

Inuyasha? He claimed the Jewel was his to begin with, that Kikyou had promised it to him long before Naraku had split them and caused their respective 'deaths'. But what would he do with it now? He was once going to use it to become human... for Kikyou. But all she wanted now was his death. Would he now use it to become human as he once swore? Or...? 

The sounds of the river intruded on her thoughts, far louder than it had been at the campsite. Kagome slowed, coming to a stop before she could actually see the riverside. What would she say to him, anyways? The whole reason behind her coming down here was to apologize for what she had said and done. _'Gee, sorry Inuyasha. I take back what I said about you back there in front of the others. Oh, and those times I made you sit when you were trying to come down here? Well, I can't take _that_ back, but would you forgive me anyways?'_

Yeah, like _that_ would work. 

She sighed and shook her head. Now that she was here, she regretted every word and deed she'd done in the past two hours. But didn't it always work like that? Just two minutes past she felt justified, but now that she had to apologize... 

Well. There was nothing to be done about it now. She had set out to apologize, and that's exactly what she planned to do. If he didn't accept it... well, that's his problem. So, straightening the seams of her skirt, Kagome took a deep breath and stepped out of the woods, preparing herself for another fight. 

What she expected to see was the half-demon still in his blood-soaked out-fit, beligerantly waiting for someone to show up and berate him for his appearence. That was the whole reason for his being at the river, after all; the fight with Satsura had gotten Inuyasha covered with all kinds of gore that the others had (thankfully) avoided. 

What she _didn't_ expect to see was Inuyasha seated in the shallows of the river, part of his silver hair drawn over his shoulder, back to Kagome. She blinked in surprise. 

His _bare_ shoulder. 

Her eyes flicked quickly from the demon to the riverside around her, suddenly frightened at the thought of him finding her watch him bathe. The sound of the rushing water would have easily masked the sounds of her approach - if he had heard her, no doubt both ears would be cocked back towards her. And the breeze was in her face, blowing her scent away from him. Both were good, she thought. He didn't know she was there yet. 

_Why would you care if he knew you were here or not?_ a part of her wondered in silence. She studiously ignored it. 

Not far from where she stood was a crumpled pile of red and white - from what she could see, she couldn't be certain whether or not he still wore the pants of his kimono. But apparently he had scrubbed the blood out before it could dry, and thrown the clothing off to the side afterward. She resisted the urge to tsk at his laziness. By the time he was done in the river the clothing would still be wet, and wrinkled besides. That was a perfect example of Inuyasha's style - haphazard and without any thought. From his appearence to his fighting technique, everything was done with a single-minded carelessness. How did Myoga - or Kikyou, for that matter - put up with it? 

The wind strengthened for a few moments, blowing strands of the demon's hair away from him in pale streamers, then calmed once more. Now she could see what it was he was doing; blood still streaked that hair, and had probably dred when he was working on the kimono. Now he was picking through the strands and brushing the flakes out with his sharp fingernails. He hadn't been at it for too long, apparently, for only a small section had been rid of the reddish cast the rest of his hair boasted. 

_Even though he _does_ have a lot of hair_, Kagome thought. _More than me, that's for sure. How does he deal with it? That would probably be a lot easier with my brush... too bad that's back at the camp..._

The wind picked up again, causing her skirt to flap against her thighs. She hastily attempted to quiet it with her hands, smoothing the fabric against her skin, but the damage had been done; the cat-like ears atop Inuyasha's head swivled backwards at the noise, and he turned his head with a swift jerk, yellow eyes glaring back to the source. 

Kagome froze like a deer in a car's headlights, unable to hide her embarassment for having been caught spying on him. Quickly she tried to think of some kind of response to his angered look; but even the apology she had prepared in the back of her mind had disappeared. All she could really do was stare back and blush. 

For a long moment they stared at one another, and it was Inuyasha who looked away first. with hardly a blink at her, he turned his back and continued running his fingers through his hair. 

Kagome let her breath out slowly, feeling the vivid heat of her blush slowly cool on her cheeks. What was the matter with her? There was no reason for her to be embarassed about spying on him! After all, how often had _he_ spied on _her_ with no shame at all? And it wasn't as if she was getting some perverted joy out of it; his actions had merely surprised her. She _wasn't_ Miroku! 

She was here to apologize -- that's right. Why was she wasting her time blushing? With a mental kick, she took a few more steps towards the riverside, ignoring the half-demon's pile of clothing as she stepped over it. But she couldn't force herself to get any closer than six feet to him -- for all her mental courage, there was something frightening about him right now, with him sitting there so nonchalantly... almost, if not entirely, naked... 

Kagome cleared her throat softly. "Inuyasha...?" 

"What?" came his snappy reply. From his cold tone, she could tell he was still in a foul mood. Foul enough to... 

_To do what?_ a part of her asked. _If he attacks, it only takes one word to drop him on his face. He knows it. He wouldn't dare._

She forced the voice down and swallowed heavily. The thought of her having power enough to stop him from attacking her made her physically ill now -- after what she had done... 

"Well?" the half-blood demanded, and she jerked her gaze up to his, not realizing she had lowered her eyes. He was staring at her again, slit-pupiled eyes narrowed, silver bangs plastered to his forehead. Both ears were slightly turned backward, as if he had already decided he did not want to hear what she had to say. 

"I..." Any words she might have had to say dried up in her mouth. _He must really hate me now... but he can't leave because that necklace binds him to me. He must despise me..._ Kagome blinked rapidly, not allowing herself to show any sign of sadness or pity. That would simply be too much. 

"Can... do you need any help?" she ended lamely. 

Inuyasha stared at her a long, measuring moment, never blinking. One silver ear twitched to the side, hearing something her own dull senses could not pick up. But just when she thought she could not bear his silence any more, he grunted softly and turned away, once more presenting his back. 

"No." His fingers began moving through the tangled red and silver mass once more, sifting through it thread by thread. "I don't want your help. Or need it." He briefly dipped one hand in the water, rinsing the blood dirt from it. 

She nodded slowly, even though he could not see it. She should have guessed that much. Who'd want _her_ help, anyways? The only thing she was good at _here_ was finding trouble... 

"Inuyasha, I think I should apolo-" she started slowly, but was cut off as he threw his head back and let out a derisive laugh. 

"Apologize?" he finished for her, tossing his tangled hair over his shoulder. "You really think it's as easy as that?" 

"I-" 

"Shut up!" Inuyasha stood and turned, and she saw that he _was_ fully naked -- she took a step back and forced her eyes to his, complete with a soft gasp. What was he doing?! 

"You think it's as easy as that?" he repeated. "You think you can toss a few words around and make everything better?" He slashed a hand through the air, scattering water droplets. "Well it _ain't_, Kagome! I'm sick of this; I'm sick of the shard hunting, and I'm fucking well sick of you! No damn Jewel is worth this, and spell or no spell, I'm going, going, gone!" 

"But the spell will-!" 

"Fuck the spell!" he exploded. "I don't care what Kaede's stupid necklace will do if I leave! And do what you want, cause it'll be the last fucking time you'll sit me!" 

Kagome took another step backward, one hand reaching up to the Jewel shard she wore. What was going on? It wasn't supposed to be this way! She could feel what little control she had of the situation slipping, and that angered her. Couldn't he see she was trying to apologize and atone for what she had done? And he had the nerve to react like _this_?! 

Her temper flared, and any fear or embarassment she had of him vanished in the heat of her anger. 

"Why you... you... ungrateful... _dog_!" she spluttered. "Do you think you're the only one on the bad end of this situation?! Do you think _I've_ enjoyed being here?!" 

"I don't give a shit either way!" he shouted back. "Now shut up and get out of my way!" 

"No!" Kagome clenched her fists at her sides, feeling her fingernails bite into her palms. 

Inuyasha stepped slowly toward her, his own hands loose by his thighs, long hair plastered to his pale skin. His pupils had narrowed so much they could barely be seen in the glow of his iris. "Get out of my way," he hissed again. 

A faint chill flooded up her spine, but she forced herself not to move. "No," she repeated. 

She didn't even have the chance to see him move before the first hit landed. 


End file.
